HIGH SCHOOL PLAYERS

Hawera Star, Volume LIII, 19 August 1933, Page 5

HIGH SCHOOL PLAYERS

STUDY IN DRAMATIC ART.

SIX PLAYS; PRESENTED

During the term just completed at the • Haiwera Technical High School, several! members of the staff have been coaching pupils in the study of dramatic "art and with a view to showing the progress made, six one-act- plays were put in rehearsal for performance. These divided into two sections, were presented in the assembly hall on Thursday and Friday in the presence of the principal and staff and of the whole school. The results were excellent and proved that the school possessed a, very decided amount of talent which needed only the opportunity for development-. The work throughout wais uniformly good. The productions were thoroughly enjoyable and interest was added from the fact that the plays selected were nicely contrasted an style and effect. Through-out, features that- were very marked, were clear enunciation and ability to make the voice carry to the listeners and the real effort made by all the young artists to depict- the character represented.

The school of last century as well as the modefi'n writers were culled to get t-lie plays required and the listeners had an opportunity to hear work which was typical of both. in this there was a distinct educational value in showing the development of the art and the style and customs of the times. The contrasts -were most interesting and instructive. The class of plays chosen were -such as l to lead the young pupils to a love of good literature. One of the plays was a selection from Thackeray’s “Vanity Fair,” a play based on the inimitable character “Becky Sharp,” one of the cleverest, drawn"tby the great master novelist. A critic said that the writer of the play had “caught the whole spirit of the novel without spilling- a drop. ” Two of the plays dealt with fairyland—Olephant Down’s fantasy, “The Maker of Dreams” and Netta Syrett’s fairy play for children “The Dream Lady.” Each_of these had a moral for young minds as well as old. “That happiness is often light at one’s door while we are seeking in vain a shadow that brings naught ibut dissatisfaction.” The former has a special note of pathos in that the author was one of the many promising young men killed m the Great Wair, when he fell in 1917 after winning the Military Cross and it is noted by a critic that “the realm of fantasy "and charm was his delight and the keynote of his writings.” His gift for fantasy brought him immediate fame all over the Empire and his second in a. similar vem.” “The Dream. Child” was equally fascinating. His writing recalls the wonderful essay of Charles Lamb, ” Dream Children.’.’ The other three plays were very interesting, though they did not reach suoli a high plane as the rest. “The Perfect Holiday” (adapted from “Little Women”) ; “Between the Soup and the Savoury,” and “Danger” (Richard Hughes). The last named was very unusual m that it is supposed to be acted in pitch darkness, being a scene in a, mine 1000 feet down, when the lights have gone out and the actors aire in grave danger and are at length rescued, a man giving his life to save his friend. In order to get the effect, the curtain was not drawn and the characters spoke from behind, unseen by the audience. The teachers responsible are to be commended for their efficient coaching which .bore such good results. They are doing a work which must have good, and lasting .results on the plastic minds of the young people under their control. The plays and the various casts of Characters were as follow: “Becky Sharp’.’ : Ola. McAnerhi (Becky)," Joan Harding (Rawdon CrawI ley). ‘ Nancy TMetson (Amelia Sedley), Jocelvn Lennon (Joseph Sedley) ana Molly McKinnon (George Osborne). “The Maker of Dreams” : Francis Villa (Pierrot), Joan Moore (Pierrette), and Ill's a. Fla,veil (manufacturer of dreams). “The Perfect Holiday” : Peggy HayMaekeime (Jo), Noeline Death (Meg), Joyce Knightbridge (Amy), Peggy Brown (Beth), Pat Brown (Airs March), Esther Blair . (Laurence),.. Pat Henry (Hannah) and Pat Taylor (Miss CroelG“Tlie Dream Lady”.: Betty Woods (King),- Olive Good (Queen), Phyllis Harding (Princess F), Annie Clinee (Astome), Nellie Hemsley .(Amelotte), Edna Gane (Dream Lady), Joyce Woods 'Page), Muriel Ellis (Nanina), Margaret Fox (Prince), Betty Jensen, Betty Yearbury Normal Nixon and, Erlin -Carrol (Attendants). “Danger”: L. Gold stone (Jack), M. Goldstone (Matty), and L. Henderson (Mu* Bax). Effects by H. Bownes and Y. Henderson. “Between the Soup and the Savoury” : Marie Cave (cook), June Daigetty (maid) and Alison Murray (maid). ....

just before tlie conclusion the principal, Mr J. Dash, presented the scumming certificates won during tlie 1933 and 1932 seasons and then thanked the performers 'heartily fon- their good and enjoyable work and wished all, pupils and staff, a pleasant three weeks’ holiday.